Scientists have pinpointed a gene that enables rice plants to produce around 20 per cent more grain by increasing uptake of phosphorus, an important, but limited, plant nutrient
Agriculture
New monitoring system to track wheat fungus in 27 countries
Wheat experts have reported a breakthrough in their ability to track the crop fungus Ug99 and related strains of mutating wheat pathogen ‘stem rust’ that threatens wheat fields from East Africa to South Asia
Small-scale irrigation schemes' fillip to food security
As food prices escalate globally, a new study finds that small-scale irrigation schemes can protect millions of farmers from food insecurity and climate risks in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
Mercy Corps to launch mobile banking for farmers
The global humanitarian agency Mercy Corps has launched a multi-country programme that will use mobile technologies to give farmers in the developing world a package of services to increase their harvests
Indonesia waives soybean import duty
The Indonesian government has decided to waive soybean import duty in view of the recent hike in price of the commodity